ame the highest, and take nothing if it's
refused you. It's a waiting race, but I never knew it fail in the end.'

Kearney despatched his message, and sat down to the table, far too much
flurried and excited to care for his dinner. Not so his guest, who ate
voraciously, seldom raising his head and never uttering a word. 'Here's to
the new member for King's County,' said he at last, and he drained off his
glass; 'and I don't know a pleasanter way of wishing a man prosperity than
in a bumper. Has your father any politics, Mr. Kearney?'

'He thinks he's a Whig, but, except hating the Established Church and
having a print of Lord Russell over the fireplace, I don't know he has
other reason for the opinion.'

'All right; there's nothing finer for a young man entering public life than
to be able to sneer at his father for a noodle. That's the practical way to
show contempt for the wisdom of our ancestors. There's no appeal the public
respond to with the same certainty as that of the man who quarrels with his
relations for the sake of his principles, and whether it be a change in
your politics or your religion, they're sure to uphold you.'

'If differing with my father will ensure my success, I can afford to be
confident,' said Dick, smiling.

'Your sister has her notions about Ireland, hasn't she?'

'Yes, I believe she has; but she fancies that laws and Acts of Parliament
are not the things in fault, but ourselves and our modes of dealing with
the people, that were not often just, and were always capricious. I am not
sure how she works out her problem, but I believe we ought to educate each
other; and that in turn, for teaching the people to read and write, there
are scores of things to be learned from them.'

'And the Greek girl?'

'The Greek girl'--began Dick haughtily, and with a manner that betokened
rebuke, and which suddenly changed as he saw that nothing in the other's
manner gave any indication of intended freedom or insolence--'The Greek is
my first cousin, Mr. Donogan,' said he calmly; 'but I am anxious to know
how you have heard of her, or indeed of any of us.'

'From Joe--Joe Atlee! I believe we have talked you over--every one of
you--till I know you all as well as if I lived in the castle and called you
by your Christian names. Do you know, Mr. Kearney'--and his voice trembled
now as he spoke--'that to a lone and desolate man like myself, who has no
home, and scarcely a country, there is something indescr